Ama Dablam 2014

Azerbaijan's famous mountain climber Murad Ashurly has died in the Himalayas.

The news of his death has shocked Azerbaijani sports community.

Ashurly, 42, made a successful ascent to the mountain Ama Dablam (6856 m) as part of a commercial exhibition of the Seven Summits Club along with eight other climbers. He went missing during the descent.

Later, one of the participants of the exhibition talked about the death of Azerbaijani climber.

Noel Hanna wrote in a social network: "The last 30 hours were the worst in my life. Yesterday morning at 9:30 am we went from Camp 2 on Ama Dablam, to descend to Camp 1. I went first, the rest of the group was behind me. I was coming down for about 30 minutes, and then this nightmare happened. I just finished the descent on the rope (a lot of old ropes and a new one) and went to the next, when the rope on which after me went down after my friend Murad, broke up. Murad fell down to 300-400 meters to the rocks and snow. We started the rescue work immediately, but the weather was very bad. Early this morning I brought his body out of the mountains to Kathmandu on a rescue helicopter. I lost my favorite partner-climber and my friend. My condolences to Olga and the entire family of Murad."

Murad Ashurly was working as a top manager of one of the leading telecommunications companies in the United States. He was a member of Azerbijan's Mountaineering Federation and experienced climbers.
In 2007, he successfully conquered McKinley the highest peak of North America. He was the third Azerbaijani to climb Mount Everest and Kangchenjunga, completing the Seven Summits challenge in 2013.
Murad was the cousin of Israfil Ashurly , the first Azerbaijani who climbed Mount Everest and Kangchenjunga.

20th of October a group Noel Hanna (Team Leader), Murad Ashurly, Gennadiy Durov, Iurii Kormazov, Makar German, with Climbing Sherpa's Rinjin Sherpa, Jangbu Sherpa, Pasang Sherpa reached the summit of Ama Dablam. On the same day they went down to the camp 2. The next morning (21.10), the accident occurred at the beginning of the descent towards camp 1. Ashurly Murad died falling with a broken fixed ropes.

We bring our condolences to the family and all who knew and loved him!

Report of Noel Hanna:

"The last 30 hrs has been the worst 30 hrs in my life.

We left camp 2 on Ama Dablam at 0930 yesterday morning to return to camp 1. I left the camp 1st followed by the rest of my team. I just had climbed down about 30 minutes when your worst nightmare happened. I had just came off rappelling down a rope (lots of old ropes with 1 new rope) and moved onto the next rope to rappel when my friend Murad who was rappelling down the last rope I was on and the rope broke. Murad fell 300-400 mts vertically down on the rocks/snow. A rescue was put into place but unfortunately the weather was very bad. Early this morning I accompanied the rescue helicopter and retrieved his body from the mountain back to Kathmandu.

I have lost a good climbing buddy and friend.

My prayers go out to Olga and all Murads family."

2013. Everest of Murad Ashurly